


New Years Eve

by kitravenclaw



Category: The Good Doctor (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-01-02
Packaged: 2021-03-11 01:00:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28416498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitravenclaw/pseuds/kitravenclaw
Summary: Neil and Claire are finally both attendings and are now considered as equals. Still they have a long way to go when it comes to confessing their feelings.
Relationships: Claire Browne/Neil Melendez
Comments: 9
Kudos: 38





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoy this!

The last year had been filled with ups and downs for them both. The corona virus had taken a toll on things and it had been greatly exhausting, but they had all gotten through it, and things seemed to go better. Claire had finally become attending, continuing in her new role at St. Bonaventure with Shaun and Morgan. Park had taken a job at another hospital. 

She and Neil were still good friends, well all until Claire had made attending and there were no longer a hierarchy separating them. But that didn’t mean it was easy either. They were both cowards, not once uttering a word for the feelings they had to one another. Neil was definitely having a hard time about it, he’d once tried asking her on a date, a real one, but Claire had declined. She was still afraid that people would think she slept with him, only because it would give her benefits at the hospital. 

And after that it had gone downhill. Claire had started dating some fireman called John in September. Something that completely enraged Neil, he didn’t show it though, of course he wanted her to be happy, but not without stating his own feelings for her. But he couldn’t do that while she was in a relationship either … goodness those next two months had not been easy for him. Audrey had pointed out how grumpy he was, but he just brushed her off. 

And because of all of that, they had had a lot of arguments when it came to medical procedures. Only thing now was that Claire had just as much say in things that he did, he was no longer the one in the drivers seat. That was something that was hard for Neil to admit, but Claire certainly loved it, especially when she got her will, and she was mostly right. And every time they started one of their arguments, the people around were all shying away, thinking ‘here they go again’ and ‘they are fighting like an old married couple’. 

But then every so often they had those very sweet and tender moments, but they were rare now. But sometimes they would find themselves alone, and Neil would perhaps compliment her ideas and patientcare, and Claire would appreciate his exceptional skills in the OR. But it was never anything more than that, though they both so tenderly longed for each other. 

Then in late November Claire had dumped her boyfriend after she found out he was cheating. She didn’t really think much of it, because she never loved the guy. But Neil had threatened to beat the living shit out of him, but Claire had fortunately talked him out of it. And with Claire single again, he was “suddenly” chipper again, not at all grumpy like he had been. Coincidence? 

Then came December and something had seemed to change. The sexual tension between them had once again returned, now stronger than ever. It had started with the glances they shared. The way he looked at her when he was so proud of her showing off her skillset in the OR, or the way Claire’s eyes gleamed with playfulness after she’d teased him about something. 

The way Neil couldn’t help but stare at her as she walked down any hallway, or how much their arguments riled them up, Claire suddenly found some of the arguing quite arousing. Then there was how he would touch her shoulder whenever he was bragging about her, or how she would brush her hand up against his when it was a bit crowded in the elevator. There were so many things, small details even that would arouse them both. 

Around Christmas time, Claire had done an effort to avoid him, simply because the sexual tension was unbearable. So when Morgan had begged her to swap shifts with her on New Years Eve, because she was going to a party, Claire didn’t hesitate to agree, because that meant Neil’s shift would be off when hers started. Little did she know though, because Neil had also swapped his shift with Audrey. 

December 31st 

Claire walked up the stairs to the locker rooms to get changed before her shift started, and to her surprise she bumped into Neil when she walked out. 

“Oh hey, are you just finished?” she asked Neil as she put on her lab coat and hung her stethoscope around her neck. 

“No I just started” he replied with a slight smirk “swapped with dr. Lim” he added. 

Claire had to bite her lip not to curse out loud. “Oh alright then” she said simply,

He chuckled softly “what? Are you disappointed?” he said teasingly.

She rolled her eyes playfully “God no, you’re ok” she teased back. 

“Just ok?” he laughed “Not amazing? Wonderful? Fantastic?” He joked. 

“Oh, get over yourself” she grinned as they headed down the hallway. 

He smirked and walked along side her “so why come you’re not out celebrating the new year? Shouldn’t this evening be filled with partying, alcohol and flirting?” he asked her. 

She smiled softly “I could ask you the same thing” she stated and smirked at him. “Besides, Morgan begged me to swap, since she was most definitely scouring for a one night stand I think. And I didn’t have any plans tonight, so I agreed” Claire said, trying to sound candor. She was a bad liar, but she didn’t want him to know the real reason. 

He nodded and smirked “I see, well I guess I’ll see you around then” he said before they parted ways and headed off to their patients. It was quite a busy night and they almost didn’t see each other. 

At 23:56 Claire finally had time to take a break, she walked by the lunch room to get a snack and some water. Then she noticed him out on the balcony, she checked her watch; 23:59, one minute until midnight and a new year. 

Then it was like her own body seized control of her, she didn’t know what came over her, but she figured she needed to seize the moment. She walked out on the balcony. Neil turned when he heard her. 

“Oh, Claire! You’re just in time for the firewo- “ he started, but he didn’t get to finish his sentence, before Claire had closed the distance between them, reaching up to cup his cheeks as she pressed her lips to his, just as the clock struck twelve and the fireworks were sparkling around them. 

But neither of them were bothered by the fireworks, they were only caught up in each other. Neil tightened his grip on her, pressing her against him and pinning her between himself and the railing on the balcony. Her hands wandered up into his hair as he bit her lower lip, asking for entrance. And when she opened her mouth to him, their tongues met in an even wilder, passionate and hungry kiss. 

They finally pulled away because of the lack of air, he took a step back, both panting softly. “Claire…” he whispered huskily, and she looked up and met his gaze.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the feedback! I decided I would add another chapter as several wished, so I hope this chapter is a nice ending to the story.

//They finally pulled away because of the lack of air, he took a step back, both panting softly. “Claire…” he whispered huskily, and she looked up and met his gaze. //

Claire looked down “I.. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have..” she started 

Neil snickered “why on earth are you sorry?” he put a finger under her chin, lifting it up so she would look at him. “that was one hell of a kiss, Claire” he said, biting his lower lip, wanting desperately to kiss her again, but resisted. 

Claire was suddenly very self-conscious “I.. I’m sorry dr. Melendez, that was very unprofessional of me” she said, pushing past him. 

Neil frowned, not understanding why Claire was acting this way. “Surely making out with me like that earns you the right to call me by my first name” he tried jokingly, but Claire only looked away. 

She backed away a few steps “no, Claire wait, what’s wrong?” he asked, reaching out to grab her hand, but then her pager buzzed. 

“I’m being paged, I have to go” she said bluntly before turning around and walking back inside. 

Neil stood there stunned, what had just happened? And then he was paged too.  
\--  
They didn’t speak the rest of their shift and not the day after either. Neil couldn’t just let this go, so he decided to go and try to talk to her. 

Claire was chilling on her couch watching some romantic comedy when she heard a soft knock on her door. She wondered who would come by so late, but went to open the door. She was surprised to see Neil outside her door, but she knew she owed him an explanation. 

“Melendez, what are you doing here so late?” she asked, giving him a faint smile and stepped aside so he could come inside. 

He smiled gently when she opened the door “I think you know why” he said softly as he entered. He’d never been to her apartment before and looked around before his gaze landed on her again. “How come you kiss me like that, and then walk away like nothing happened?” he asked, his tone a bit sad, hurt. 

“I don’t know what came over me, honestly… and I’m sorry for walking away, but it was highly unprofessional of me. We are coworkers” she explained, but she knew it was a lousy one. 

“Oh bullshit, Claire. You said that before you made attending, you can’t use that on me again.” He said, it sounded a bit harsher than he intended. “We’ve been doing this ‘dance’ for months, Claire. All the flirting, the tension.. and every time I make a move, you always back away.” He said, and Claire could see the hurt in his eyes. “Perhaps we’re both lousy at the expressing feelings part, but I know you want this too, so what is it that you are so afraid of?” He asked, not sugarcoating anything. 

Claire was on the verge of tears, but she deserved this, she knew she’d hurt his feelings. “Because of something that my mother told me… that no one would ever truly love me, except for her” she explained, a tear rolling down her cheek. “and I wanted to shield you from all of this” she gestured to herself “the mess that I am. You deserve someone better. And I didn’t want to hurt your feelings, but clearly that backfired” she said, all in tears now. 

Neil stood watching her, his heart breaking at her revelation and of seeing her so distraught. He stepped closer to her, he fully understood her reasoning, but he wouldn’t let her completely spiral. “Claire, I love you!” he blurted out, to prove her mother wrong. “/I/ love you” he said again, calmer, slower, while grabbing her hand.

Claire wasn’t sure she heard right the first time he spoke. She stood in silence, suddenly at loss for words, so he continued. 

“I am head over heals in love with you, Claire Browne.” He smiled, a tear now gleaming in his eye as well. “I love the way you scrunch your nose when you disagree with someone. I love the way you get so riled up when we are fighting. I love the way your eyes gleam and your wicked smile when you tease me about something. I love the way your lips feel against mine. I love all of you Claire. Every bit. And I don’t care that you think you are a mess, because I think we both are a little broken, but there is no one else that I’d rather be broken with. “ he brushed away all her tears, holding her close as he looked at her. 

Claire was completely stunned by his confession, but as he spoke, she smiled through her tears, and she felt as if every piece of her heart were glued back together. “Neil” she breathed, finally using his first name. “I feel so bad” she said and her voice broke. 

“Claire no, don’t feel bad.” He stroked her arm lightly “We have all the time in the world, and if it took us some months to get here doesn’t matter. We’re here now.” He assured her. “I’d understand if you’re not ready for this, a relationship… but to make my self clear, I want all of you, and I’m all in, if you want me of course” he said softly. 

“No no, I want you! I love you!” she said, suddenly afraid he’d get the wrong idea. When she saw his wide grin, she smiled too. “I love you too, Neil” she repeated, sighing softly in relief. It felt so good, so right to finally say that. “I’m just so sorry it took so long for me to realise” she said and looked down. 

“We’re both to blame on that part, Claire. You don’t have to feel guilty about that” he assured, and then pulled her into a tight hug.

And as they pulled away, they lingered a bit, their eyes meeting, his lips brushing softly against hers. He kissed her softly, smiling against her lips. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt such idiotic happiness. And neither did she.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading. This was initially meant to be a one shot, but I might be open to write a chapter or two more, if that is desired :)


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